Virus isn’t keeping people from cosmetic surgery
PITTSBURGH — The spread of COVID-19 has deterred people from doing lots of things, but going under the knife for cosmetic surgery doesn’t seem to be one of them.
Cosmetic surgeons across the region have reported a steady flow of patients since they were permitted to resume invasive and noninvasive procedures in May. Some have even noticed an uptick in clients clamoring for a post-quarantine makeover or seeking skin treatments to address “maskne” — acne around the mouth and jaw caused by wearing a face mask.
“We had a 90% increase in cosmetic consults from mid-May to the present and a 75% increase in new patients,” said Ella Antimarino, director of marketing and business development for Bellissimo Plastic Surgery & Medi Spa.
Antimarino and her husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Antimarino, used the mandated shutdown to put finishing touches on the practice’s new aesthetics center.
“We’ve been doing a lot of tweak-ments,” which Antimarino described as minor tweaks often involving lasers or skin procedures with microneedling. Demand for body contouring and combination procedures — ones involving more than one part of the body — also has been steady, Antimarino said.
“With the downtime and being shut down from work and outside experiences, we think people really ended up focusing on themselves. It’s one area of their life they can control,” Antimarino said.
The fact that many people are still working from home has motivated some to move forward with liposuction, fillers and the like — without their colleagues knowing.
“Most of the things we do have very little downtime,” said Dr. Leo McCafferty, a cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery specialist in Pennsylvania. “Specifically, if it’s below the neck, you could be theoretically on a Zoom or videoconference call the next day.”
Even face masks have given some of his patients an extra boost of confidence, including one who went to the grocery store just a couple days after a face-lift.
“She didn’t have much bruising, but she wasn’t embarrassed to go out even with stitches because she had a face mask on,” McCafferty said.
At The Skin Center, a medical spa and cosmetic surgery center with offices across Pennsylvania and Ohio, clients have been requesting services to address fine lines and wrinkles spotted during Zoom conferences.
“Video calls are not the most flattering to see yourself on,” said Kirstie Ansell, The Skin Center’s director of marketing. “So many of our patients reached out to us saying they couldn’t stop staring at the wrinkles on their forehead or their double chin.”
For 32-year-old Kelly D., who requested her last name be withheld, The Skin Center’s office for Botox injections was one of the first places she went after coronavirus restrictions relaxed for medical spas in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
“I am a young mom. After being stuck in the house for three months, it’s important that you do something for you,” she said. “I think it’s important to take care of yourself more than ever.”
Going in for a consultation or procedure looks a little different these days. Most now require temperature checks upon arrival, masks, a touchless check-in process and changes in waiting rooms. If you recently traveled to a state where COVID-19 infections are on the rise, expect to be asked to delay your appointment for at least 14 days.
Many surgeons also used virtual consultations to keep foot traffic in their offices to a minimum. At Beleza Plastic Surgery & Med Spa, in downtown Pittsburgh, Dr. Anna Wooten invites prospective patients to upload photos of their areas of concern and complete a medical history questionnaire.
At McCafferty’s office, patients aren’t permitted to bring guests with them for their consultations for now, but they can join the conversation from home via a videoconferencing platform.
“It’s always nice to have another set of ears listening, someone you trust,” McCafferty said. “The hardest thing is to not shake hands with someone.”
Antimarino encouraged virtual consultations when his office first reopened, but now he’s back to seeing many clients in person.
“When I sit in a room with somebody face to face, I can really bond with them and get a feel for what their motivation is,” he said, as well as get a better sense of their skin texture, muscle tone and concerns. “I think it’s very difficult, at least for me, to do that across a computer screen.”